Why this matters
Hardness is not a health concern, but it costs money over time. Scale narrows aerators and shower heads, coats heating elements, builds up in tankless heat exchangers and shortens the life of dishwashers and washing machines. Inside a water heater it settles as sediment.
Markham’s supply
York Region supplies Markham with treated water, much of it originating in Lake Ontario, with some areas in the region served partly from groundwater. Hardness can vary by area and over time. The region publishes water quality reports; look up the current figure for your area rather than relying on a neighbour’s guess.
| Where you see it | What it does |
|---|---|
| Faucet aerators | Weak, uneven flow |
| Shower heads | Spraying sideways, clogged jets |
| Kettles and coffee makers | White crust, slower heating |
| Tank water heaters | Sediment, popping noises |
| Tankless heaters | Scale codes, temperature swings |
Red flags around the house
- Water meter spinning with every tap closed.
- Green crust or pinholes on old copper.
- Brown rings growing on drywall under a bathroom.
- Pressure dropping when two taps run together.
Step by step: managing scale
- Every season, drop aerator screens and the shower rose into a bowl of vinegar overnight.
- Flush your tank water heater once or twice a year.
- Descale a tankless unit at the maker’s interval.
- Use the water heater at a moderate temperature; scale forms faster when hotter.
- Consider a softener if scale is causing repeated repairs.
Hard water is one of the commonest reasons we replace cartridges early, and scale on a shower valve spool can make the temperature hard to control. Cleaning or replacing those parts is routine work but adds up over the years.
Handing it over to us
Phone once mineral build-up is causing drips, sticky valves or a rumbling tank, or if you would like a softener fitted. See water softener installation, tankless descaling and filtration.
Markham note: village-core houses tend to hide cast iron and galvanized behind plaster, while Cornell and Box Grove builds run PEX to a manifold. We ask the year your house was built so the right fittings ride along on the truck.
Straight from the phone log
Does a filter remove hardness?
Most carbon filters do not. A softener or specific treatment is needed.
Can we drink water from the softener?
For most people, yes, though it carries a little extra sodium; plenty of families leave the kitchen cold tap unsoftened.
Ready to get it fixed?
One call, a clear explanation, and work finished tidily before we leave.